Paolo Pedroni – Whimsically Dark

Paolo Pedroni is an Italian-born artist who primarily works within the digital art medium. Paolo was born in the city of Brescia in 1983 and went on to study at the art school there, before transitioning into interior design in Milan. After graduating and working in the field of interior design, Paolo maintained his artistic vision and passion, eventually leading to an exploration of digital art, which quickly became his main means of artistic expression. Pedroni’s first exhibition was in 2011 in Bologna Italy and since then has only been progressing and evolving, with more shows in Italy, Spain, France, USA and Canada, which have been met with great success and acclaim.

Pedroni’s works are comfortably engaged in the modern pop-surrealism style which is clearly a favourite among many digital artists we’ve seen in recent years. The freedom many digital artists feel with the medium allows for a thorough exploration of conceptual ideas and metaphorical imagery, evoking a strong sense of curiosity and wonderment in the viewer as they try to distinguish the “meaning” of the artwork. This is particularly emphasised through the artist’s use of proportion and child-like features with large inquisitive and emotive eyes.

Pedroni’s artworks often portray a feminine character, usually in a slightly macabre setting with a strong subjective style giving an almost portrait like feeling to the work. This juxtaposition of the feminine with the macabre and whimsical creates a playful setting rather than sinister. This is quite conducive to the viewer’s understanding of the artwork as they familiarise themselves with the various components of the piece, rather than being faced with a bold statement or a complex story of characters as is often the aesthetic of other artists within the genre, viewers are given a softer, more demure tone of these otherwise dark ideas.

If you enjoy the works of artists such as Mark Ryden or Mai Ja, then you will definitely find Paolo Pedroni’s work enjoyable and captivating. You can also find more of Paolo’s work at his website here, and his Facebook page.